RFC: New business modell for free software development

[Raph]

On Fri, Sep 13, 2002 at 07:57:03PM +0200, Alfred M. Szmidt wrote:
> Raph <raph at r4f.org> writes:
> > On Fri, Sep 13, 2002 at 02:49:26AM +0200, Marcus Brinkmann wrote:
> > > Let me be more precise:  The GPSA can not be like the GPL and make a
> > > requirement about when you are allowed to use the software.  The GPL
> > > explicitely does not restrict using the program.  Any license that makes
> > > restrictions about using the program is unlike the GPL.
> > 
> > Freedom 0 : use of the piece of Software...
> > Do you all know the 4 freedoms of Free Software ?
> > See http://france.fsfeurope.org/libre.en.html
> 
> Interesting, do _you_ know what freedom 0 is? Last time I check what
> the freedom 0 was it went something like this: the freedom to run the
> software, for /any/ purpose.

It is intended to avoid clauses like «you can use this piece of software
for non-profit usage only».


> Which would clearly make this GPSA license non-free if it has an
> clause when you are allowed to "use" the software.

You've got the point : the least restriction of the use of a piece of
software makes it clearly non-free.

Companies unable to make a living of Free Software are: 
	- companies using Free Software,
	- and the ones who didn't realize that selling software is
	  different from selling potatoes.

Software isn't a good: it's knowledge.
So sharing software is like sharing knowledge, it shouldn't be
restricted.

What you have to pay for isn't this type of general-purpose knowledge
(software available on the Internet), but specific one:
	- support
	- consulting
	- specific developments
	- training

It isn't the first time that I hear about making yet another license for
Free Software, which would allow companies to make a living of Free
Software; each time, I've been upset by the lack of imagination of my
interlocutor: they all want to take some freedom away !

As is, Free Software allows to make a living of it, but software editor
is definetly not the way.

	Raph
-- 
Raphaël Rousseau
Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus.